While the presidential preference primaries in Georgia are thought of in terms of popular vote, the actual vote is about election of delegates to the respective party convention. And the two parties differ in how each selects delegates.

For Republicans, it is a winner takes all system at the state level and in each of the state's 13 congressional districts.

Georgia is entitled to have 72 delegates and 69 alternates attend the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. The chairman of the Georgia Republican Party and the two national committee members from Georgia are automatic delegates. The remaining 69 delegates and all of the alternates will be elected at district conventions and at the state convention.

Each congressional district will elect three delegates and three alternates at district conventions April 19. Delegates elected at county conventions will participate in the district conventions and elect the delegates and alternates to the national convention.

To be eligible for election, potential delegates must be registered voters in the congressional district they are elected to represent. They do not have to be present at the convention.

Delegates elected at district conventions must pledge to support the Republican candidate for president who received the highest number of votes in their congressional district in the primary. At the convention, the obligation of support can be released if the candidate is unsuccessful in gaining 35 percent of the votes by the convention.

The remaining 30 delegates and 30 alternates will be elected at the state GOP convention in May.
On the Democratic side, there is a complicated formula for electing delegates. The number of pledged delegates is determined by the number of votes each state gave to Democratic candidates in the last three presidential elections and the percentage of electors each state contributes to the Electoral College.

Each presidential candidate receives delegates to vote on his or her behalf if the candidate receives 15 percent or more of the votes cast in a state primary. The delegate population is also based on the state's ethnic make up and a 50 percent gender split.

The ninth district will be entitled to three delegates to be elected at congressional district conventions on April 19.

Georgia will have 103 pledged delegates, 15 unpledged delegates and 12 state party committee members.

Because ballots had to be prepared in advance, voters will see the names of a number of candidates from both parties who have withdrawn from the race. The votes for those candidates will be tabulated, however, they will not be awarded delegates.